Missing Mustafa Amir’s family dissatisfied with slow pace of investigation

The traces of blood found at a Gizri bungalow where a suspected kidnapper Armughan was arrested following an encounter on Saturday could be of the missing BBA student Mustafa Amir. However, despite the significance of this potential evidence, police have yet to approach the missing student’s family for DNA sampling to confirm or refute this possibility.

The DNA analysis of the recovered blood could provide a crucial breakthrough, as genetic material inherited from parents could establish its identity with certainty. If the sample matches Amir’s parents, it would confirm his presence at the bungalow and offer critical leads in the case.

However, it would not necessarily determine whether he was killed or merely injured at the location. With each passing day, uncertainty looms over the fate of Amir, who has been missing for over a month. There is no knowledge of whether he is alive, and if not, where his body lies.

Disturbing rumours continue to swirl, including one alleging that Armughan may have disposed of the body by feeding it to lions as Amir’s family has come across pictures of Armaghan posing with lions.

This case is surrounded by multiple complexities and unanswered questions. The lack of police progress has left the missing student’s family in anguish. They point to several investigative lapses, including the failure to collect DNA samples from the parents for matching with the blood traces, absence of efforts to retrieve complete CCTV footage of Mustafa’s movements on the day he disappeared, lack of thorough interviews with friends, neighbours and other key witnesses and no progress in locating Mustafa, his missing iPhone, Jazz device, and car.

Adding to the controversy is the police’s failure to secure the physical remand of the prime suspect. On Wednesday, a trial court not only rejected the Anti-Violent Crime Cell’s (AVCC) request for Armughan’s remand but also ordered the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT), signalling a lack of confidence in the AVCC’s handling of the case.

“The initial remand was rejected because the AVCC presented weak reasoning, relying solely on statements from Armughan’s staff. The court found this unconvincing, leading to the decision to establish a JIT,” said Amin Anwar, court reporter for Geo News.

However, legal avenues still remain open. Police can reapply for remand with stronger evidence or take the matter to the Anti-Terrorism Court’s administrative judge or the Sindh High Court, he added.

Speaking to The News, Amir’s mother shared insights into her son’s connection with Armughan. Contrary to some reports, she asserted that her son and Armughan were not particularly close, but rather acquaintances within a larger social circle. She also revealed that Armughan had been involved in a dispute with a woman over alleged misconduct, and that Amir had been distancing himself from him in recent days.

On the evening of January 6, Amir left home at 6:45 pm in his nightwear. When his mother inquired, he assured her that he would be back soon. Later, in a retrieved text message, he confirmed that he was meeting Armughan. An hour later, his phone was switched off, marking the last known contact with him. Since then, his car and devices are missing, while the phone recovered by the police was an old Nokia handset he rarely used.

"Nothing, mama. I’ll be back soon," replied Amir when his mother asked where he was going. She continued, "After Mustafa left, I, being his mother, messaged him to ask where he had gone since he didn't inform me. His reply, which we retrieved later, was: 'Mama, it's nothing. Armughan is my friend. He called me, and I will come back soon.'"

She added that when her son did not return home by 7:55pm, she called him, but his phone had been switched off. “This means whatever happened to him occurred between 6:45pm and 7:55pm."

Meanwhile, reports suggest that Armughan, who was once involved in running a call centre and cryptocurrency dealings, had scaled down his operations in recent months. From the last few days, his residence was increasingly secluded, with staff movement restricted and windows blacked out.

Despite mounting pressure, police remain tight-lipped about the investigation. Multiple attempts by The News to seek comments from AVCC officials have gone unanswered. Amir’s family, desperate for answers, continues to plead for an aggressive and transparent investigation into their son’s disappearance.